Name: Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 10 min
Yield: 12 pieces
Ingredients: 12 eggs; 1 1/2 cups water

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Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs are a portable easy breakfast that cook perfectly every time in the pressure cooker. Slice them up and serve on toast with avocado, chop to put in egg salad, or sprinkle with a hint of sea salt these are a filling snack any time of day!

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close up of eggs in basket covered with red kitchen towel

The incredible edible egg

Hard boiled eggs trace their roots back to ancient Rome where the eggs were served spiced and sauced. The Romans had a saying according to History.com, “ob ova usque ad mala” which means from eggs to apples. The idea of hard boiling eggs eventually made it’s way across Europe.

“Devil” as a term to reference food didn’t appear until 1786 in Great Britain, which referred to making a food spicy or highly seasoned then boiling or frying it. Deviled eggs have been referred to as “mimosas”, “stuffed eggs”, and “salad eggs.”

Mayonnaise first appeared as a binder for deviled eggs in the 1896 edition of Boston Cooking School Cookbook by Fannie Farmer but did not become popular until the 1940’s. There are lots of ways to enjoy hard boiled eggs in all kinds of recipes!

What kind of egg can I hard boil?

I will typically buy extra eggs each week so that I have store bought eggs at least one week old when I go to hard boil them. I find older eggs easier to peel after cooking in general. Fresher eggs or farm fresh eggs can be used but keep in mind they will be harder to peel. I would recommend sticking to the times in the recipe and not losing track of time.

Do I need special equipment to pressure cook my eggs?

Usually I use a steamer basket to cook my eggs in the Instant Pot. The steamer basket makes it convenient to put them in and take them out once they are done cooking.

overhead shot of eggs in steamer basked inserted inside an Instant Pot

What if I don’t have a steamer basket?

No steamer basket, no problem! 🙂 You can use the rack that came with your pressure cooker, crumpled up aluminum foil, or turn your silicone egg bite mold upside down then stack the eggs on top.

three overhead shots of eggs in instant pot using different methods

Cooking the hard boiled eggs

Ever since I started cooking my eggs in the pressure I have not gone back once to my stove, or my egg steamer which I actually gave away to someone with no pressure cooker. I use a 6-quart Instant Pot, and have found I can do as many as 18-24 eggs at a time without changing the cooking time.

Add 1 1/2 cups of water to the bottom of the pressure cooker liner. Place the eggs in the Instant Pot using one of the methods you chose above. Set the timer to high pressure (normal) for 5 minutes on high pressure then follow with a 5 minute natural pressure release.

I have found if I accidentally leave the eggs in the pressure cooker to long they have a tendency to look a little brown so keep an eye on the time. Also, this can cause the yolks to have green ring. It’s a sign they have cooked to long. Still edible, but just a tad overcooked.

Release the pressure, and place in ice water for 5 minutes to cool. Now, I actually have a ton of ice cooler packets in my freezer so if I’m out of ice I will use these instead to cool my hard boiled eggs. Peel and rinse your perfectly cooked eggs. Store in a gallon size plastic bag or airtight storage container for up to one week.

hard boiled eggs in basket cooling in ice water

What dishes can I use my eggs in?

While hard-boiled eggs are good with a hint of sea salt there are other great ways to enjoy them.

To make a yummy egg salad
Sliced or chopped for Nicoise or Cobb salad
In homemade Ramen
My Smokey Deviled Eggs
Or Potato Salad

If you enjoyed this you may like Simply Seasoned Air Fryer Chickpeas, Instant Pot No-Fail Buffalo Chicken Meatballs, or Instant Pot Crack Chicken!